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Remembering two heroes

Webster Police Lieutenant Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka were firefighters with the West Webster Fire Department.

On Monday, the driveways of their homes were full of cars and police were standing guard on the street.

Tomasz was a 911 dispatcher. He came up through the Explorer Program and had been a firefighter for a little more than a year. His manager at Webster Golf Club told News10NBC all that Tomasz talked about was being a firefighter.

Mike Chiapperini was a lieutenant in the Webster Police Department. He was named Firefighter of the Year two weeks ago. He has two little daughters and an older child.

News10NBC spoke with a few of Chiapperini’s neighbors Monday afternoon.

Steve DeLucia said, “It’s traumatic because you're just trying to help someone and I can visualize him, the way he helped everybody. I mean he probably got that fire call and he was ‘Mike the Fireman’ this morning he wasn't ‘Mike the Lieutenant’ this morning. Just ran out of his house to help people and look what happened.”

Brian Luke said, “We all loved mike. He's just one of the best guys we've known so far in the neighborhood and he's always been there for us and everyone else and I just wish his wife and family the best and God's grace and peace to get through this